One Year Older
by Serenity984
Summary: It's a party for Tai...who is nine. Cute story, hopefully a short story. And it is a short story! FINSHIED
1. Chapter 1

"Is it time yet Mum?" A little boy gave out an early morning yawn.

"Not yet, sweetie." His mother gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Breakfast is on the table."

"What is it?" he sighed, rubbing his dark chocolate colour eyes.

"Go and find out," his mother pushed him towards the kitchen.

"When are they supposed to get here?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Early afternoon," She replied as she straightens up the living room that was a total disaster from last night chaos her husband had created as he played with their two children.

"What time is it now?" the little boy made a face as he concentrating on what time of day it was.

"You are eating breakfast so it must be morning." She didn't even glance up at him.

"Who's coming?" A little girl in a long pink nightshirt strolled out of the room she shared with her brother. In toll was a doll she carried in her arms.

"My friends!" the boy smiled, "it's my birthday party, all of my friends are coming over, and a few get to spend the night!"

"**You **don't have any friends," The little girl put her doll on the table beside her eggs, then proceeded to climb on the chair to look at her food dull eyed.

"I do too!" The boy gave a nod; crust from the toast he was eating flew out of his mouth.

"Na uh," she replied.

"Mum tell Kari that I do have friends!" Tai turned to find his mother talking on the telephone. "MUM! Tell Kari…"

"Tai, hunny can't you see I am on the phone?" His mother sighed and continued to talk with the person on the other end.

"See, mom can't even tell me that you have friends!" Kari stuck her tongue at her brother.

"I do have friends!" Tai fumed.

"Na uh!" Kari argued.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!" Kari stared at her eggs intensely, "If you did then** I** would had meant them and **I** didn't meet anyone who claim to be a friend of yours!"

"I do have friends and the only reason that **YOU** never meant them is because they think you are stupid for playing with dollies!" Tai then took a big mouthful of eggs.

"I'm telling mom!" Kari scooted off the chair and headed in her mother's direction.

"Better not! She's on the phone and you'll get into trouble!" Tai warned her.

"Not as much trouble as you will be in!" Kari spat. Tai stuck out his tongue and made cross-eyes at her.

"I'm telling on you for that too!" Kari started to pull on her mother's sleeve. "Mummy! Mummy….Mummmy."

"Mommy is on the phone, hunny. Go over and eat your breakfast." Her mother gave her a gentle pat on the head. Kari looked back at Tai who once again stuck out his tongue.

"But Mummmmmy!" Kari whined.

"Excuse me," her mother covered the phone and knelt down to Kari's level, "Listen hunny, I'm sure what ever you want to say can wait until I get off the phone. This is a very important phone, okay. Be a good girl for mommy and go eat your breakfast." She gave Kari a kiss on the cheek before continuing her conversation. Kari stood by her side, her little arms folded in front of her and she tapped her foot repetitively. She even glanced down at her fake watch she wore on her left wrist. As she seen her father do so many times before, Kari gave a sigh, threw up her arms and shook her head. She glanced at Tai who now had her precious dolly on his breakfast plate and was trying to disconnect its arm with his butter knife.

"MUMMMY!" Kari yanked hard on her mother's sleeve, pulling the shirt off her mother's shoulder.

"Kari!" her mother pointed to the table, "NOW!"

"Mumm…"Kari pointed over to Tai who now replaced the doll to its original spot.

"Now Kari!" Her mother pointed again. Kari sulked over to the table, her little arms folded and tears starting to shine in her brown eyes.

"I hate you!" Kari spat at Tai.

"I'd hate you too if I didn't already hate this eggs more," Tai took out a huge eggshell, which made Kari giggle a little.

* * *

After brushing his teeth, playing with his trucks, cleaning up the mess he made with his trucks and five cartoons later, the bell rang singling the arrival of his first guest. Not only was this his first guest, it was the arrival of his first present. He ran to the door, Kari trying to keep up with him.

"I'll get it!" Tai yelled at his mother who was in the apartment somewhere.

"**I'll **get it!" Kari yelled after Tai.

"You can't get it because **I** have it!" Tai swung open the door to reveal a red headed girl with a large, sloppy gift-wrapped package in her hand.

"Happy birthday Tai!" Sora smiled, handing him his gift.

"Is that your **girlfriend**?" Kari asked, making kissing noises.

"Sora isn't a girl!" Tai pushed Kari away, "Come in, I can't wait until you see all of the balloons! Dad spent last night blowing them all up from this helacup tank!"

"You mean helium?" Sora asked.

"That's what I said!" Tai glanced up to see Sora's mother waiting by the door. "Um..sorry, do you want to come in too?"

"Thank you for remembering me," She smiled down at Tai and walked through the threshold.

Sora rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Parents…"

"Yeah…"Tai grinned at his best friend.

"So…who's all coming?" Sora asked, following her mother and Tai into a room filled completely with balloons. "WHOA! This is cool!"

"I have a bubble machine!" Kari tugged on Sora's sleeve.

"I ain't having any bubbles in **my **party!" Tai told her. Kari stuck out her tongue and sat in front of the television to watch some puppet show. "Kids," Tai shook his head at Sora.

"Yeah," Sora nodded her head.

"I'm never going to have them," Tai told her.

"Me either!" Sora agreed. "Tai who's coming?"

"Oh um…Do you know that really annoying girl from down stairs?" Tai asked her.

"Mimi?" Sora frowned.

"Yeah…but her parents are loaded so I'll be sure to get a great gift!" Tai smiled.

"Good thinking!" Sora high fived him.

"And um…well Izzy will be here so I'll get a computer game from him…."

"Which is always cool for a birthday present!" Sora informed him.

"And Joe should show up…"

"Odd but alright….for laughs."

"And um…Jun and her brother.."

"NO WAY!" Sora shook her head, "Not only is one annoying, but you have two!"

"I know but he's friends with Kari and mum said I had to invite one of her friends." Tai said gloomy. "And um…two kids that mom knows and other kids from school."

"Your mom invited friends?"

"Well not really. A friend of hers is…I'm not sure but she's dropping off the two boys," Tai shrugged.

"Your mom is babysitting on your birthday! That is so wrong!" Sora's eyes grew large.

"But that's two more presents…."

"Unless they give you one saying it's from the both of them and you know it won't be anything good because they don't know you so they don't want to spend their allowance on you!''

"Oh," Tai's eyebrows scrunched up, "That totally sucks!"

"**Yeah**!" Sora shook her head, "But hey this room is great!"

"Yeah! Dad blew up over two hundred balloons! Mom said it was because he was playing with the tank." Tai's eyes grew larger, "Want to hear something?"

"Sure," the girl shrugged and watched as Tai grabbed a floating balloon. Carefully he put a small hole in the balloon and sucked in its air.

"I'm a little tea pot short and sta…" Tai started to sing in a chipmunk voice.

"Cool!" Sora took the balloon from him and as she had seen him do, she inhaled the helium, "How do I sound?"

"Weird…"Tai laughed.

"Mum he's doing it again!" Kari yelled at her mother.

"Tai leave the balloons alone." His mother's voice came form the kitchen where she gathered other mothers who started to show up. Soon kids gathered in a huge group throwing balloons at each other, jumping off the coffee tables and on to the sofa. Davis was convinced he was Spiderman and started throwing yarn around the house. Tai ran to the door ever time he heard it rang, waiting to receive even more presents. This time when he opens the door, two blue eye boys started back at him.

"Hi!" He waved to them.

"Hi.." The youngest said with a timid voice, the older boy just glared. Their mother stood behind them, her eyes rimmed with red as though she was crying.

"Hello hun," She handed him two huge presents, "Happy birthday. My…I haven't seen you since you were Tk's age!" She placed her arms on the youngest boy's shoulder who turned his angelic head up to hers with a huge smile on his face.

"Um…oh." Tai frowned, not sure what to do. "Um…well come in," He open the door wider for them to go through. The lady put her hands on the two boy's shoulder to guide them into the room. The oldest boy shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "Mom!" Tai yelled into the kitchen.

"Nancy!" His mother embraced the other women who started to cry all over his mother.

"Your mom must get really emotional over birthdays," Tai looked at the two boys.

"Shut up." The older boy told him, barely gaving him a glance; he just kept glaring at whatever was directly before him.

"Okay…"Tai turned around and put the presents on the table next to the cake. "Well..um everyone else is in here," Tai head for the living room. The youngest kid followed but the other one just stayed where he was, staring at nothing.

"Tk is handling it alright I guess. He does not really understand any of it. Doesn't understand why we all cannot be together again and...well Matt hates me. He won't even talk to me," the other lady was telling his mom as Tai walked pass. Tai stared up at her for a moment, not sure what was going on but he suddenly felt bad for the little kid behind him and the older one who…acted like an ass.

"Um…well my sister is about your age I guess and there is a little kid around here called Davis you might like to play with," Tai told Tk, who was staring up at all the balloons wide eyed.

"TAI!" Jun jumped right next to him, Mimi close behind. "Who was that boy!"

"What boy?" Tai asked, "This one?" He pointed down to Tk who smiled at both of the girls.

"No the other one!" Mimi giggled.

"Um…I dunno," Tai shrugged, "Their mom is friends with mine and I haven't really meant them."

"I'm Tk and that's my brother Matt," the little boy pointed to the figure that leaned against the wall between the kitchen and the living room.

"He is soooo cute!" Jun and Mimi giggled again.

"Um…okay," Tai pushed passed them.

"Hand them a drooling bowl!" Sora rolled her eyes.

"Tell me about it," Tai made a gag motion.

"Hey little dude," Sora punched Tk playfully on the shoulder. "So what's your name?"

"I'm Tk and I'm five!" He held out his five fingers.

"So you are! Wow can you believe he's five Tai?" Sora smiled her best friend.

"Yeah," Tai look confused.

"Whoa! That just went over your head!" Sora slapped him on the back.

"Huh?"

"Nothing…"Sora started to move to other friends they shared.

"Kari and Davis!" Tai whistled and like two puppies, they bounced at his side. "Hey you two, this here is Tk. Tk's mom is friends with our mom so you better be nice to him!" Tai warned his sister.

"I am always nice!" Kari stuck out her tongue. "Hi Tk! This is Davis."

"Why do they call you Tk?" Davis asked.

"Why do they call you Davis?" Tk asked.

"Because that's my name," Davis frowned.

"Why?"

"I don't know…."

"Why don't you know?"

"I never asked I guess," Davis shrugged.

"Why haven't you ever asked?"

"I never thought about asking."

"Why haven't you ever thought about it?"

"I don't know…"

"Why don't you know?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Davis cried.

"I don't know…."

"Why don't YOU know?" Davis smiled in trumpet.

"Because I am coping what you said and if you don't know then I couldn't know since I asked you the same question and not knowing was how you replied." Tk smiled brightly.

"Oh…he has you there Davis." Kari smiled.

"Cake time!" Tai heard above everyone's voice. "Where's the birthday boy?"

"Here!" Tai rushed to the front of the table where nine candles danced before his eyes. He rubbed his hands together and took a deep breath, blowing out all the candles.

"And that's what happens when you are full of hot air," Sora told everyone at the table. Tai stuck his tongue at her playfully as his mother served everyone cake. The whole room filled with chattering kids and what games they were going to play. The only one who didn't seem to be happy was Matt. Tai's mother tried to get him involved in some of the games but he just glared at her. Tai loved his mother because, even though she fed him eggshells for breakfast, she was a very understanding and patient woman. Even at his young age, the moment he saw her trying to help a bad situation, he felt proud of his mother. He knew parents told their kids how proud they were of them, but he never knew it could work visa versa.

* * *

Presents were opened after the party games were finished. Ooohhs and Ahhhhs filled the room with the sound of a little nine year old ripping into each package. Tai thought he made out pretty good, not a bad gift out of the bunch. Half an hour after the last present was open, the doorbell rang. A singling for the party to end as the first kid said his goodbyes and headed out the door. One by one, parents came to pick up their children who, at that time were all played out and couldn't wait to go home. Tai's mother grantee every parent that the cake was fat free and sugar free which Tai just rolled his eyes. Soon, the only ones left in the room was a small group of his friends and the two outsiders, his sister and her friend. Sora, Davis, Tk, Kari, Jun, Mimi, Izzy, Joe and Matt stood facing him. These were the ones he would have to entertain for the whole night. It wasn't so bad since Kari, Davis and Tk had to go to be early. Mimi and Jun were happy enough to goggle at Matt. Sora and Izzy were always easy to have a good time with. Joe on the other hand was extremely caution about everything they did. Matt, he was going to be hard to get to lighten up but Tai was up for the challenge. The blonde hair boy suddenly locked eyes with his; a challenge was accept…at least in Tai's mind.


	2. Stop touching me!

This chapter is short, sorry everyone but I do hope you still enjoy it!

Courage Sun: Thanks for my first review for this story. I really need to find out what Tai's parents' name is if anyone can help with that...

Mia Kamiya: I like the little kid stories sometimes. Everything is cute, simple and um...easy to write! Thanks for the review.

CuteLoveKawaiiCourage: glad you thought it was cute. My spelling sucks most of the time but hopefully everyone will ignore that and enjoy a simple story. I hope to keep your attention for the following chapters.

JyouraKoumi: Thanks for the nice review.

* * *

Tai's mother had all the kids ready themself for bed. The sleeping bags littered the living room floor. Tk and Matt had placed theirs side by side. Jun and Mimi argued who was sleeping closer to Matt until Tai's mother told both of them to sleep on the other side of the sofa. Sora, Izzy, Joe and Tai put their sleeping bags near the window door leading out to the balcony. They were excited with the plain they made to sleep outside of the apartment but Matt mentioned that Tk sleepwalks often so the door had to remain locked. Davis slept where he could keep and eye on Kari and Tk but still slept near his sister just in case he grew scared of sleeping in someone else's home. 

"So….does anyone have any good ideas on what to play?" Tai asked the small group.

"Let's play spin the bottle!" Jun volunteered.

"Hey that sounds like a great idea!" Tai started to jump up and down, "I have a better one! Let's not and say we did!" He rolled his chocolate eyes, "Does anyone else have a GOOD idea?"

"We could play hide and seek," Joe pitched in, "That's an easy game everyone can have fun playing!"

"I don't," Davis pouted, "Every time it's my turn to hide, people stop playing but never tell me. I hid three hours straight before I realize Jun stopped playing!"

"I couldn't tell you that I stopped playing if I couldn't find you….HELLO!" Jun rolled her eyes.

"Simon says!" Kari raised her hand up in the air.

"What are you doing?" Tai looked at her "Does it look as if we are in school?"

"Shut up!" Kari stuck her tongue out.

"Do you think you can make me?" Tai asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah!" Kari took his challenge.

"How are you going to do that?" Tai asked with a smirk.

"MUMMMMMY!" Kari yelled.

"What is it now?" her mother came out from the kitchen, a dishtowel thrown over her shoulders.

"Tai is being mean again!" Kari told her mother.

"Tai play nice with your sister," his mother warned him.

"Okay…."Tai scowled at Kari.

"Well me and Jun are playing Princess," Mimi smiled, swirling around in her pink nightgown. "And everyone can play."

"No way," Matt shook his head.

"I don't want to be a princess!" Tk panicked.

"I'm not wearing a dress again," Davis crossed his arms.

"What do you mean again?" Izzy looked over at the little boy.

"Not telling!" Davis sulked some more.

"I'm not playing that game either,'' Joe informed the girls, "Knowing you two, there will be kissing involved and everyone knows you can spread girl germs that way!"

"What do you mean 'girl germs'?" Sora asked.

"You know…girl germs," Tai told her.

"Girls don't have germs; it's the boys who never wash their hands. You have the germs!" Mimi told them. "Except you Matt."

"Why doesn't Matt have germs and we do?" Tai asked.

"Because I am the princess and I say who has germs and who doesn't and YOU have germs because the evil witch gave them to you!" Mimi told him.

"Who's the evil witch?" Jun asked.

"Um…."Mimi looked around the room, "Sora's an evil witch!"

"No I am not!" Sora crossed her arms, "I'm not playing Princess with you two!"

"You are the witch," Mimi told her again.

"No I am not!" Sora restated.

"Do I hear fighting in there?" Tai's mother's voice rang above the children's own voice.

"NO!" They all said at once.

"Good," the voice came to them in a satisfied tone. The group broke up, each doing their own thing. Tk and Davis started to play with Tai's new trucks after giving up the idea of playing with Kari. Kari moved all of her dolls outside her bedroom and had them all lined up watching television on the sofa where she kept talking to them as if they were alive.

Jun and Mimi continued their game of Princesses where they braided each other's hair, put make up on, wore Tai's mother's high heel shoes and wrote love notes to all of the boys. There was going to be a huge ball where they would pick their new husbands. Since all the boys were cute, they both decided there was no reason why they had to just marry one. However, they had to be careful because of the jealous witch had been sighted circling the castle, which was the coffee table, and threaten to swoop down on their ball to ruin their happy ending forever! In order to keep from being capture from the wicked witch, the girls would squeals every time Sora came near them and run into the closet where would take them to the land of unicorns and pink fluffy clouds made out of cotton candy.

In Izzy's world, he was FBI Agent Izzy. His code name was Agent Izzy, which he kept repeating on his walkie-talkie. He was collecting data on the Spy who's name was Red Fox. Red Fox had been secretly sending messages to the enemy and leaving a trail of dead bodies that for some unknown reason would vanish before your eyes, slowly turning into liquid and being sponged up in the carpet's particles. Izzy believe this was a craft used by Aliens in the history of the Aztec age, a weapon that was just recently uncover by the enemy, Red Fox. His mission was to capture Red Fox and take back the harmful weapon.

Joe had a different vision. He was being attacked by mutated cooties. He would sit in his chair, watching and waiting, a fly swatter in hand. He wore white pyjamas that he pretends to be his special hazardous suit. No virus would penetrate through this special armour, none that is until the cooties had been discovered. In order to save mankind, he must find the source of this virus and destroy it before it destroys the race of men!

"Tai, we can't…"Sora looked over at the blonde-haired person who kept flipping through channels.

"Sure we can," Tai smiled.

"We'll get into trouble," Sora bit her bottom lip.

"Since when did that stop us?" Tai asked, "I'll go first."

Sora watched as Tai snuck up on the other boy. He stood beside the chair quietly until the boy glanced over at him.

"Problem?" Matt asked.

"No," Tai shook his head and continued to stare at Matt.

"Can I help you with something?" Matt asked.

"No," Tai shook his head again.

"Then go away," Matt told him.

"Um…no," Tai smiled.

"You're bugging me," Matt told him.

"Yeah," Tai nodded his head.

"Then go away," Matt said again.

"No can do," Tai told him, "My feet are glued."

"Like hell they are," Matt told him.

"You said the hell word!" Tai pointed at Matt. "Mum Matt said hell!"

"You did too you idiot!" Matt smacked Tai on the back of the head.

"Hey!" Tai's mother came out, "We do not swear in this house and we do not hit each other, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Matt turned to the television, not watching just glaring at it.

"Tai?" His mother turned to the other boy.

"I wasn't hitting!" Tai told her.

"You were cursing and you know better!" his mother warned him.

"Sorry," Tai stared down at his feet. His mother walked back into the kitchen. "Hey," Tai looked at the blonde who ignored him, "Excuse me," Tai poked Matt.

"Stop touching me,'' Matt jerked his shoulder away from the other boy. Tai smiled and poked him again. "Knock it off!" Matt swatted his hand away.

"Can't hit me," Tai told him, poking him again.

"Stop touching me!" Matt pushed Tai's finger away.

"Whatcha doing?" Sora popped up next to Matt.

"Go away," Matt told her.

"Can't do that," Sora told him pointed to her feet, "They are glued."

"You too?" Tai smiled.

"You both are idiots," Matt told him; Tai poked him, "Stop it!" Matt swatted his hand away.

"Stop this?" Sora poked Matt on the shoulder.

"Knock it off!" Matt started raised his voice.

"Is there a problem in there?" Tai's mom called out.

"NO!" Everyone said at once, looking at each other to see if there really was one. Then, not seeing anything disturbing, they went back to their own games.

Tai and Sora both poked Matt at the same time.

"Leave me alone!" Matt moved over to where Kari was playing on the sofa and threw a doll off a spot on the couch so he could sit down.

"You threw Martha down!" Kari's eyes grew large, "She still has a soft spot! Her brain will ooz out of her head! She needs a brain transplant now! You are a doll killer!"

Tai came over and poked Matt, "Are you picking on my sister now?"

"Would you stop poking me?" Matt warned him.

Sora poked Matt from behind, "Hey, what's up?"

"Why can't you two leave me alone?" Matt moved back to where he was sitting the first time. Soon the others had stopped playing in order to watch the tease. Tai walked back over to Matt and stood in front of the television.

"Move," Matt told him.

"No." Tai smiled.

"Move now!" Matt warned him.

"Say the magic word!" Tai demanded.

"No. Move!" Matt told him.

"That's not a magical word," Sora shook her head.

"Now, what's the magical word?" Tai asked.

Matt stood up, inches from Tai's face, "I told you to move!" Matt said softly.

"And I said N.O. That's no." Tai told him. Matt threw back his fist and sprang it forward, catching Tai in the noise.

"FIGHT!" Izzy yelled.

Tai covered his nose, hiseyes huge in disbelief and blood started to seep through his fingers.

"BLOOD!" Joe cried before crumbling to the floor.

"What the hell?" Tai's father came through the door to see Joe drop, Tai standing there stun with blood oozing from his fingers and down his shirt, Mimi and Jun screaming and Sora on top of Matt trying to hit his face.Matt kept grabbing her fist in mid air to protect his face.

"What in…" Tai's mother came rushing out, running to Tai then to Joe then back to Tai, unsure of whom needed her attention first. Tai' father grabbed Sora around the waist and pulled her off of Matt. Her little fist still flying in the air, her legs flying wildly in the air as she struggle to free herself..

"Don't you ever touch my friend again!" Sora warned Matt.

"Stop yelling at my brother!" Tk yelled and then started to cry at the top of his lungs. Davis, who was standing next to him, covered his ears and started to make a loud humming noise. Izzy ran over to where Joe fell and started to fan him with a newspaper he grabed off the table. Mimi kept screaming and Jun ran over to where Matt lay on the floor, trying to dust him off and asking if he was okay and kept repeating someting about wicket witches.


	3. A New Outlook comes understanding

JyouraKoumi: ONCE again, thanks for your reveiws! I look forward to them in each of my stories.

Du S'undavar Freohr n' Zar'roc: Its finished. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was meant to be cute and an easy story. I had fun with it, gives me a break from everything else.

Thanks to everyone who had read this story and I hope you enjoyed it. -cheers

* * *

Tai's father rushed his son to the bathroom, sitting him on the toilet he placed a wet washcloth on his face, "Keep your head down. I know everyone says keep it up, but you actually keep it downwards."

"It's bleeding!" Tai cried.

"I know, I can see but you are going to be alright."

"It hurts!"

"It will stop in a moment; pinch the middle of your nose like this." His father squatted down to his son's level, holding his nose.

"I can't…"

"Sure you can."

"It's hard to keep my face down, hold the washrag and pinch my nose at the same time!"

"Okay," His father chuckled a little, holding the washcloth on Tai's nose. "Better?"

"No!" Tai cried, "It still hurts! My eyes hurt too!"

"That's because your nose is between your eyes," his father said gently.

"Did you ever get hit in the nose?"

"Sure, by your mother."

"Mom hit you!"

"Yeah and it hurt too."

"How comes Mom hit you?"

"It was an accident. She opened her locker door and I walked into it."

"That was pretty stupid of you."

"Yes it was."

"Did a boy ever hit you?"

"No. I tried to avoid fighting, I didn't go around starting them especially with someone how could hurt me back."

"He didn't hurt me!"

"You're bleeding and you said it hurt."

"It doesn't hurt that bad!"

"Alright…" his father kissed the top of his brushy brown hair. "I think you are in need of a hair cut."

"Dad! I am bleeding here! I think at this time, it's my nose you should be concern with!"

"Right…so what happen out there?"

"The kid punched me!"

"I can see that but why?"

"Because he is a bully!"

"There is no other reason why he hit you?"

"Nope, nothing comes to mind." Tai glanced up to see his mother open the door a little.

"I brought ice," She held up an ice pack. "How is he?"

"Still bleeding," Tai, sighed.

"Taking it like a solider." His father grinned at him, "Although he can't seem to figure out why the other boy hit him."

"Oh no?" Tai's mother crossed her arms, "That's funny because Kari remembers it quiet clearly."

"Does she?"

Tai glanced up at both parents and gave a deep sigh, "I was poking him…."

"And?"

"And he asked me to stop but I wouldn't stop…." Tai mumbled, "But he was being mean to me first! He doesn't play and he only glares when you talk to him! He even curses and tells us to shut up!"

"Listen sweetie," His mother knelt down beside Tai, wiping his face with a clean washcloth, "Matt is going through a hard time right now, did you know that?" Tai shook his head, "Well he is. Is mommy and daddy are separating. Do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, it's when you separate me and Kari when we are fighting." Tai sniffled.

"Almost but his parents are not going to live together. They are moving out forever."

"Forever?" Tai looked over at his father.

"That's right," His father nodded, "So now Tk and Matt is dealing with that. They don't know if they are going to be living together, living with their mother or their father. All they want is there parents to stay together but it's not going to happen. Some grown ups can't live with each other and that's what is going on in their house."

"Then why doesn't Matt's grandmother punish his parents?" Tai asked looking over at his father, "Grandma said she use to beat your ass all the time!"

"Ought! We don't curse remember?" His father smirked, '' Yes your grandma use to spank me but that was when I was your age. Now when you become an adult, you need to work things through yourself. In this case, divorcé is the best thing for them."

"They don't love each other anymore?" Tai asked.

"No honey, they don't." His mother said softly.

"Immagen if I and your mom would move away and I took you two, your mother would never kiss you good-night again or if she took you from me, how could we play ball again?" His father patted his head.

"OR, what if I took Kari and your father took you…"

"But we would never be together!" Tai shouted.

"Makes you kind of mad doesn't it?"

"Me and Kari didn't do anything, why would you separate us?"

"Because that's what grown-ups do all the time." His mother hushed him.

"You and dad are never going to get a divorcé are you?"

"No," they both said in union.

"But sport," His father stood up, "You have to promise you won't say anything to them or to anyone else. They don't want everyone to know."

"Because it's bad?"

"No because it makes them feel bad." His mother corrected him, "Now come on." She reached down and took his hand in hers.

Tai walked out of the bathroom, the living room was a little cleaner with Kari's dolls all put away now. Davis, Kari and Tk were already sleeping in there mad up beds on the floor. Izzy, Jun, Joe and Mimi were watching TV beside each other. Matt and Sora were facing a corner from each side of the room, Matt had an ice pack over his eye were Sora was able to bruise him.

"Sora and Matt you can come out of your corners now." Tai's mother told the two, letting go of Tai's hand she looked at all three of the children, "I want you all to apologies to each other." They stood, looking at each other. "Now!"

"I'm sorry I was poking you, Matt' Tai sighed, "And I'm sorry you were sent in the corner for hitting Matt, Sora…"

"I'm sorry you got a bloody nose because of this jerk!" Sora glared at Matt.

"Sora…" Tai's father said softly.

"BUT I am sorry for hitting you in the eye even though you really did deserve for hitting my best friend…Now his eyes will swell shut and he won't be able to play soccer with that new ball I…"

"SORA!" Tai's mother interrupted her, crossing her arms, "Don't make me call your mother."

"Um…yeah I'm sorry.'' Sora held her head up high.

"Sorry…"Matt simple said.

"Good, you can watch another hour of cartoons then it's off to bed." Tai's mother walked back into the kitchen, her husband following, "AND you sir will get something to eat!" She winked at her husband.

"Sounds deliciously already!" he winked back, following her.

"What are you watching?" Tai sat down beside Izzy.

"Ed, Edd, and Eddy." Izzy told him, "I enjoy watching Plank."

"He doesn't do anything," Tai frowned.

"Yet with out him, there would be no Jimmy." Izzy smiled.

"True…"Tai smiled, "You two going to sit down?" Sora and Matt exchanged glares before Sora moved from her spot to squeeze beside Tai. Matt looked at the sofa, there wasn't really much of an option for him. Either sit down beside the girl who blacken his eye or the between the other two who would try to hold his hand all through Ed, Edd and Eddy.

"No." Matt turned around and walked to the window of the balcony.

"Now you upset him," Mimi hissed at Sora.

"He was born upset!" Sora hissed back.

"He's sooooo cute!" Jun sighed, looking over at Matt.

"He's too moody," Sora whispered.

"It gives him carriers." Mimi told her.

"You mean Character," Izzy interrupted them.

"Didn't I say that?" Mimi asked.

"No," Joe shook his head, "You said he carries things but character means…"

"I know what it means!" Mimi huffed. "I like the way he looks!"

"There isn't anything wrong with how he looks, it's his attitude!" Sora rolled her eyes.

"Did you just say a boy was cute?" Tai finally looked away from the TV.

"NO! I said there wasn't anything wrong with how he looks!" Sora repeated herself.

"That's the same as saying you like the way he looks!" Mimi giggled.

"Stop laughing at me you pink fizz!" Sora snapped, "I did not say he was cute!"

"What isn't cute about him?" Jun asked.

"His…..well….um…I already said he has a bad attitude and that's not cute!"

"But you think HE is!" Mimi giggled again.

"What are you Elmo? You giggle at me one more time and I'll blacken your eye to match Blondie's over there!" Sora held up her fist.

"You should say something nice to him," Tai told her.

"What? He pounded your face in!"

"Yeah but…"Tai glanced back, "I think he needs friends."

"He doesn't want any." Sora huffed.

"Tai's right,'' Izzy glanced back over at Matt, "He might not any friends but he is in need of some. Sometimes, people don't know what they need until someone else shows them."

"HUH?" Mimi looked blankly at Izzy.

"Err…never mind." Izzy stood up and walked over to where Matt was standing.

"Hi,"

"Go away," Matt turned his glare away from the sky.

"There is a telescope out there," Izzy pointed to Tai's balcony, "Tai likes to look in at other people's apartments but I like to look at the sky. Have you even looked at the moon through one?" Izzy watched as the blonde shook his head. "Come on, you'll love this then." He opened the window door, letting a cool breeze in while he walked out. Matt hesitated but followed him.

"I'll be…"Joe's mouth dropped, "He did it."

"Now we can push him over the side!" Sora rubbed her hands together.

"And you wonder why we wanted you to be the wicked witch?" Mimi asked. Joe stood up and walked over to Izzy and Matt.

"See the crates?" Izzy asked as Matt peered through the lens. "I live close to the roof. One day you'll have to spend the night with me and my dad can take us up on top which will let you see the moon more clearly."

Matt glanced up at him slowly, a small smile on his lip, "Spend the night with you?"

"Well yeah…" Izzy frowned, "I know your type don't hang out with, I suppose the best word to use is nerds like me but…"

"My type?" Matt asked, "You don't know anything about me."

"Um…." Izzy scratched his head. "See that star over there? That's actually a planet."

"Oh yeah?" Matt peered into the lens again. "IF I bought one of these, could you show me how to set it up?"

"SURE!" Izzy grinned.

"Can I look?" Joe asked tapping Matt on the shoulder. Matt stepped away but kept his eyes to the sky.

"Come on," Mimi took Jun's hand, "Lets star gaze with them!"

"I'll be gazing but not at the stars!" Jun giggled.

"Sora?" Tai glanced over at his friend.

"He hit you!" Sora told him.

Tai rubbed his nose, "Yeah I can still feel it." He gave her a weak smile, "Come on. Sometimes the best relationships start with a tumble down a hill."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Jack and Jill, then they had children…I think one went up a bean stalk…"

"Are you planning on having kids with this guy?" Sora asked.

"NO!" Tai's eyes grew wide, "I am marring Jessica Simpson!"

"She's a flake!" Sora laughed.

"I think she is beautiful…"Tai sighed, "well come on then." He walked away, leaving Sora behind.

She stared at the TV a moment. "I hate you Tai…" Sora sighed to herself. Half way towards the window door, she glanced down as the moonlight hit a silvery item on the floor. She carefully picked it up and carried it outside with her. The others were laughing at something Tai had done to the poor person down below on the street when Sora approached Matt. Tai glanced at her carefully, Izzy stood beside the door in case he had to call for a parent. Matt grabbed the side of the balcony's edge.

"You dropped this when I hit you," Sora said softly, holding out a silver harmonica.

Matt stared at her open hand for a moment before taking his instrument from her, "Thank you…" He said softly.

"Can you play?" Sora asked, staring into Matt's blue orbs.

"A little……"Matt shrugged.

"Can you play Jack and Jill by chance?" Sora winked at Tai.

* * *

"See that," Tai's dad held his wife in his arms, "kids are more understanding then we give them credit for."

"Do you get the feeling that this is a beginning to something?" She looked up at the smiling face of her lover.

"Yes," her husband took another glance out of the kitchen to the new founded friends, "and we get to watch it grow with them."


End file.
